There’s no shortage of ways to make money in GTA 5, including a fully functional stock market where you can invest your ill-gotten gains to make a clean profit. But just like real life, you’ll need to first understand how the market works, which stocks to invest in, and at what times. Simply put, you’re neither a bear nor a bull, just a clever opportunist whose actions dictate the fate of specific holdings. If you want some of that Wall Street action, this guide is for you. So suit up and dive in as we show you the absolute best stocks to buy in GTA 5 right here.
How Does the GTA 5 Stock Market Work?
GTA 5 has two separate stock markets: the LCN Exchange (Liberty City National) and BAWSAQ. The former is entirely offline, meaning the in-game events influence how the market moves. As for the latter, BAWSAQ is an online market that requires an internet connection to function.
All stock movement on this market is mainly driven by the community, but your actions in specific missions can cause significant short-term effects.
To access the GTA 5 stock markets, bring up the phone while playing as any character and click on the Internet icon. Then, select the Money and Services tab, and you’ll find options for both the LCN and BAWSAQ.
Another important point to remember is that market volatility occurs over multiple in-game hours. So, if you’re betting on a stock’s value to rise or decline, you’ll need to skip ahead by sleeping to avoid staring at your screen for multiple real-life hours. Depending on which of the three protagonists you’ve chosen, the number of sleeps required can differ, but you’re typically looking at 3-4 times to skip a whole day.
Best GTA 5 Stocks to Buy
The best GTA 5 stocks to buy are all linked to in-game missions where you assassinate a prominent figure associated with a corporation. Naturally, this causes the company’s stock to collapse while its rivals see an immediate upturn. To profit from this, you’ll need to purchase the holdings we’ve described in each entry before the mission, and then sell them once their value rises.
Before you start this twisted version of insider trading, it’s best to make sure that your bank is loaded for maximum profit. For this, we recommend progressing past The Paleto Score, at the very least. With that, here are the best GTA 5 story mode stocks to invest in:
1. Betta Pharmaceuticals and Bilkinton Research (The Hotel Assassination)
The first assassination mission will task Franklin with taking out Brett Lowrey, the CEO of Bilkinton Research. The game offers two ways to approach this, with the first being a classic long-range execution, and the other involves planting a bomb in his vehicle.
Before starting the mission, dump all your money into Betta Pharmaceuticals (BET), which is listed on BAWSAQ. After taking out Lowrey, wait two in-game hours, and then head over to your portfolio to find a return of 50%.
The other stock linked to this mission is Bilkinton Research (BIL) itself. Following the assassination of its CEO, the company’s stock declines rapidly. So, head over to LCN and buy the dip. After making the purchase, wait 72 in-game hours and then sell the stock for a potential return of up to 100%.
2. Debonaire and Redwood Cigarettes (The Multi-Target Assassination)
In this mission, Lester asks Franklin to take care of four corrupt Jurors who are presiding over a case surrounding Redwood Cigarettes. With a nine-minute deadline and four different targets, completing this one might be tricky.
Fortunately, there’s plenty of reward in store for your efforts. Before starting the mission, make sure to deposit all your money into Debonaire (DEB), which is listed on the LCN. Once it’s done, wait two in-game days and then return to your portfolio to cash out for a 60% return.
Now it’s time to profit off Redwood Cigarette’s misery, so wait until RWC plummets to as low as possible, which can take up to two in-game days. Purchase tons of the stock and wait for at least 72 in-game hours before selling for a massive potential return of 300%.
3. Fruit Computers and Facade (The Vice Assassination)
The Vice Assassinations has you manipulating the stocks of two tech giants by taking out Jackson Skinner, the product development head at Facade. The mission is pretty straightforward as you head to his location and are free to kill Skinner however you please.
Before starting the mission, make a wise decision and pool your money into Fruit Computers (FRT) on BAWSAQ. Then, wait 48 in-game hours and hit the sell button for a 50% return.
The second stock you’ll be purchasing is Facade (FAC), also on BAWSAQ, which suffers a steep decline, soon after the mission. Buy the dip and skip through 48 in-game hours for a solid 35% return.
4. Vapid (The Bus Assassination)
This is another straightforward assassination mission, and you also have to purchase just one stock on this occasion. The target is Isaac Penny, a venture capitalist looking to gain a controlling share in Vapid Motors. To take him out, Franklin has to cosplay as a bus driver and wait for the right moment to get rid of Penny.
Vapid (VAP) is the only stock involved here, so open up the BAWSAQ website and buy it after two in-game hours have passed since completing the mission. Now, wait for two in-game days and keep an eye on the market. Once the potential return hits 100%, sell off your holdings.
5. Gold Stock (The Construction Assassination)
The final assassination mission from Lester is easily the most action-packed of the lot. In it, Franklin heads to a construction site swarming with security to take out Enzo Bonelli, a crooked real estate developer whose demise leads to a surge in the value of Gold Coast Development.
Before you take on the mission, head to LCN and purchase Gold Coast (GCD) in large quantities. Once Bonelli is out of the picture, wait two in-game hours and return to your portfolio to cash in on a potential return of 75%.
Completing these missions and selling off the stocks at the right moment are sure to fetch you a ton of money. As such, these are the best stocks to get in GTA 5. After trying it out for yourself, be sure to let us know about your biggest haul in the comments below!
